Eclectic Lotus

Happy Holidays! 2015 is going to be an amazing year! How do I know? I'm posting this entry from my phone. Enjoy the picture of the holiday lights in the Lincoln Park Zoo highlighting the Chicago skyline.

We love pancakes! After running for events my favorite thing to get is pancakes. Some thing in my history of pancakes make them irrestible. If you were raised as I was you know that after church when they had pancake brunches to raise money for whatever the case may be was a treat. How I adore those moments when I hear of them and begging my mother to go and purchase our tickets to have them lathered in butter and syrup. The pancake party thrown in our kitchen I have made oatmeal pancakes, paleo pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, cinnamon pancakes and of course buttermilk pancakes. The photo above is that of the buttermilk pancakes that got my husband to marry me all over again. My mother never taught me how to make pancakes from scratch as she was the modern career mother of the 70's and 80's so I had a little help with this as with most of the recipes that I show you on here. This pancake recipe came from the side of a Kemp's buttermilk container. Ingredients: 3...

In these days to come there will be some changes in the way this blog is handled. I am not sure you have noticed, but I only blog about twice a month and this is due to the demanding schedule of my career and home. Less will be added of my personal life and more facts, figures and other items that you can use. I have noticed that many of these blogs are selfish with no rhyme or reason and will try to correct this issue. The complication of life can keep one at arms distance from what is passionate. As many of you can already conclude, I am passionate about writing. My high school years were spend with a pen and a piece of paper writing away and unfolding my eclectic spirit. I am also a book junkie and love to be in the company of books.There is something about being alone with a book and nice hot tea in the dead set cold that makes life a little less harsh. I am nostalgic in the mind set of reading an actual book that you can hold and even page through to some of the end to see what h...

October will forever be eventful in my life. My son's birthday is in the beginning of this month and my husband has his birthday towards the end. The leaves change colors and give a romantic feel as the sun's rays glisten and dance over the warmth of the colors making you truly forget that it will be cold. Just living in the moment. October has to be one of those precious months loaded in mystery. It is also the month my son and my family was dedicated to God. I gather in my mind that it will be a difficult task. Manly because I still remember my life growing up. I was taken to different churches by family and friends and grew up Lutheran. I remember the blessed times when I would come home and my mother and I would read from the book of Proverbs and in the same heartbeat I can remember the days where she didn't feel much like herself and drowned herself in wrestling or Star Trek almost oblivious that I was there. I as many became in limbo of completely following Christ...

As I was patrolling through the land of facebook (yes, I got back on. I missed the groups I was in oh so much!) I noticed a blog from a popular blogger called "Surviving Motherhood Without a Mother" so I was intrigued. As I read it over, it was from a woman who seems to not speak to her mother. I have seen this before as a friend of mine is currently cut off from her family. And with it now being October I have to write more about this since my mother passed away from breast cancer mets. How did I do it? Trust me. . .it is not easy. I had to explain this to my brother who, on her birthday he was a complete mess. I had to mention to him that she was there for you, helping to raise your family. I don't get that luxury. Here I am with an amazing baby boy and my mother not here to help me. Throughout my pregnancy I was without her to ask questions to. The only comfort I had was the conversations that I had with her before her passing which still seem to keep current in ...

So, I am going to go ahead and post this post since I have been referencing to this blog via Instagram. . . These two pictures are from today. . . I have been really big on making smoothies and juices since my son was a newborn. It was the fastest way I could pile down some veggies since I was always nursing and it just kind of took off from there. Now, I challenge myself to buy veggies and eat them through the week. What you see above is called the Kermit. It contains a stalk of green kale, 2 tsp of spirulina powder, one ripe banana, some "organic" orange juice (meaning it was squeezed from the store we bought it from- pulp and all.No Minute maid here.) and plain unsweetened kefir. Place in the nutribullet and ready to drink.    When home, I tend to make smoothies for bubs and myself and in the night hours of when I have an extra pep I will make a puree'd something for my mother-in-law to feed him. Now, our son is on the BLW method but my MIL is scared to fee...

I am seriously being snarky and funny at the same time. As my LO sleeps in the back carry of my ergo a few things I must mention. A) this kid is all over the place and I accept that B) He likes to chew on furniture and NOT his expensive little Giraffe teething buddy. C) Nursing a baby with teeth is NOT painful. I repeat NO TEETH HIT MY NIPPLES!!!! I am so tired of people asking me about that and looking at all his eight teeth. If he decides he wants mommy to be his teething toy he bites on my chest, arm, and legs. . . NOT HIS FOOD BAGS!!! Okay, I got that out of the way. Yes, it is September and to answer your question. . . no, I am currently NOT planning a one year party for my son. I do not feel like I am a bad mother but why put all that money and time into this party and HE IS NOT GOING TO REMEMBER IT? Seriously, I don't remember my first birthday. I remember my five year party and six year old party so why would I do something like that for my boy? So, the money I am savin...